Communication system,relay device, service providing device,relaying method, service providing method and program product

• US 20030005049A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Passology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Passology Company Limited
• Inventors: Ogawa, Hideharu
• Granted Patent: US 7,206,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/48 Secure or trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements or encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0156 Secure and trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements, encryption, digital signature, codes or double check mechanisms to secure billing calculation and information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts

Abstract

A communication system preferable to a technique of allowing only an ISP (151) connecting a user terminal to the Internet to manage information about the charging for the service provided to the user by an ASP (132) in the Internet so as to prevent credit card information on the credit card of the user from leaking into the Internet and preferable to dial-up server for providing connection with access limit to a computer communication network such as the Internet to a terminal, a relay device, a service providing device, a relay method, a service providing method, and a program product for realizing them. The feasibility of the relay between a terminal (111) and an ASP (132)I by an ISP (151) is determined on the basis of the relay condition (for example, the condition determined by the IP address and the port number) correlated with the user using the terminal (111). The system inquires of the ISP (151) if the ASP (132) provides a service to the terminal (111). If the user of the terminal (111) is registered in the ISP (151), the ISP (151) carries out the charging of the service in place of the ASP (132), and the ASP (132) provides the service to the terminal (111) through the ISP (151).

Claims

1. A communication system including a terminal, a relay device, and a service provider, wherein:

(a) said terminal sends a user name to said relay device;

(b) said relay device receives the user name from said terminal, and assigns said terminal a communication identifier in association with the user name;

(c) said terminal sends a service-request message, whose addresser corresponds to the assigned communication identifier and addressee corresponds to a communication identifier of said service provider, to said relay device;

(d) said relay device receives the service-request message from said terminal, and

sends the service-request message to said service provider;

(e) said service provider receives the service-request message from said relay device, and

sends an inquiry message for inquiring whether to provide a service to the communication identifier specified in the service-request message, to said relay device;

(f) said relay device receives the inquiry message, and

sends a response message, to said service provider, specifying to provide a service, in a case where the communication identifier specified in the inquiry message has been assigned in association with the user name, and, if not, specifying to provide a service;

(g) said service provider receives the response message from said relay device, and

sends a service-providing message, whose addressee corresponds to the communication identifier specified in the service-request message in a case where the response message specifies to provide a service and whose addresser is said service provider, to said relay device;

(h) said relay device receives the service-providing message from said service provider, and sends this to said terminal; and

(i) said terminal receives the service-providing message from said relay device.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

the inquiry message or the service-providing message includes billing information of the service to be provided; and

said relay device

stores the billing information corresponding to the user name corresponding to the assigned communication identifier; and

in a case where to send the service-providing message to said terminal, adds or sums the billing information of the service to be provided, included in the inquiry message or the service-providing message, to or with the billing information stored in association with the user name, so as to update the billing information stored in association with the user name.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

said terminal, said relay device and said service provider perform communications using TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), and the communication identifier is specified based on an IP address and/or a port number.

4. A relay device which is communicable with a terminal and a service provider, comprising:

a user-name receiver which receives a user name sent from said terminal;

a communication-identifier assignor which assigns said terminal a communication identifier in association with the received user name;

a service-request message receiver which receives a service-request message, whose addresser corresponds to the assigned communication identifier and addressee corresponds to a communication identifier of said service provider and which is sent from said terminal;

a service-request message sender which sends the received service-request message to said service provider;

an inquiry-message receiver which receives an inquiry message for inquiring whether to provide a service to the communication identifier specified in the sent service-request message, the inquiry message being sent from said service provider;

a response-message sender which sends, to said service provider, a response message specifying to provide a service in a case where the communication identifier specified in the received inquiry message is assigned in association with the received user name, and, if not, specifying not to provide a service;

a service-providing message receiver which receives a service-providing message for providing a service to the communication identifier assigned in association the received user name, said service-providing message being sent from said service provider; and

a service-providing message sender which sends the received service-providing message to said terminal.

5. The relay device according to claim 4, wherein

the inquiry message or the service-providing message includes billing information of the service to be provided, and

said relay device further comprises

a billing-information storage section which stores the billing information in association with the received user name;

and

a billing-information updating section which adds or sums the billing information of the to-be-provided service included in the inquiry message or the service-providing message, to or with the billing information stored in association with the received user name, in a case where said service-providing message sender sends the service-providing message to said terminal, so as to update said billing-information storage section.

6. The relay device according to claim 5, wherein

updating by said billing-information updating section is performed before sending of the response message by said response-message sender.

7. The relay device according to claim 5, wherein

updating by said billing-information updating section is performed before sending of the service-providing message by said service-providing message sender.

8. The relay device according to claim 5, further including

a service-received message receiver which receives a service-received message sent from said terminal, in a case where said terminal receives the service-providing message sent from said service-providing message sender, and wherein

updating by said billing-information updating section is performed after receiving of the service-received message by said service-received message receiver.

9. The relay device according to claim 4, further including

an authentication-character-string generator/sender which generates an authentication character string and sends this to said terminal, in a case where the user name is received by said user-name receiver;

a password-character string receiver which receives a password-character string sent from said terminal; and

a rule storage section which stores a rule for generating the password-character string from the authentication character string, in association with the user name, and wherein

said communication-identifier assignor assigns said terminal a communication identifier, in a case where the password-character string received by said password-character-string receiver is generated from the authentication character string generated by said authentication-character-string generator/sender, based on the rule stored in said rule storage section in association with the user name received by said user-name receiver.

10. The relay device according to claim 9, wherein;

said communication-identifier assignor assigns said terminal a communication identifier, in a case where the user name is received by said user-name receiver; and

said relay device further comprises a communication-identifier invalidating section which invalidates the communication identifier assigned by said communication-identifier assignor to said terminal, in a case where the password-character string received by said password-character string receiver is not generated from the authentication character string generated by said authentication-character-string generator/sender, based on the rule stored in said rule storage section in association with the user name received by said user-name receiver.

11. The relay device according to claim 4, wherein

sending and receiving of the message is performed using TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), and the communication identifier is specified based on an IP address and/or a port number.

13. The relay device according to claim 12, further including

a relay-forbiddance-communication-identifier storage section which stores communication identifiers in advance, and wherein

the relay condition is satisfied in a case where the communication identifier of the addressee or addresser specified in the information included in the message is not included in the communication identifiers stored in advance in the relay-forbiddance-communication-identifier storage section.

14. The relay device according to claim 13, further including a user-name receiver which receives a user name from said terminal through said terminal communicator, and wherein:

said relay-forbiddance-communications-identifier storage section stores a communication identifier in association with the user name received by said username receiver; and

the relay condition is satisfied in a case where the communication identifier of the addressee or addresser specified in the information included in the message is not included in the communication identifiers stored in said relay-forbiddance-communications-identifier storage section in advance in association with the user name.

15. The relay device according to claim 12, further including:

a user-name receiver which receives a user name sent form said terminal via said terminal communicator;

an authentication-character-string generator/sender which generates an authentication character string, and sends this to said terminal through said terminal communicator;

a password-character-string receiver which receives a password-character string sent from said terminal through said terminal communicator; and

a rule storage section which stores a rule for generating the password-character string from the authentication character string, in association with the user name, and wherein

said communication-identifier assignor assigns said terminal a communication identifier, in a case where the password-character string received by said password-character-string receiver is generated from the authentication character string generated by said authentication-character-string generator/sender based on the rule stored in said rule storage section in association with the user name received by said user-name receiver.

16. The relay device according to claim 15, wherein

said communication-identifier assignor assigns said terminal a communication identifier, in a case where the user name is received by said username receiver, and

said relay device further includes

a communication-identifier invalidating section which invalidates the communication identifier assigned to said terminal by said communication-identifier assignor, in a case where the password-character string received by said password-character-string receiver is not generated from the authentication character string generated by said authentication-character-string generator/sender based on the rule stored in said rule storage section in association with the user name received by said user-name receiver.

17. The relay device according to claim 12, wherein

said computer communications network perform communications using TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), and the communication identifier is specified based on an IP address and/or a port number.

18. The relay device according to claim 12, wherein

said communication-identifier assignor selects a communication identifier, which is currently not assigned to any other terminals, from a plurality of communication identifiers which are set in advance, and assigns said terminal this communication identifier.

19. The relay device according to claim 12, including, in place of said upward relay device or in addition to said upward relay device,

a downward relay device which sends and relays a message, sent from said computer communication network and received through said computer-communication-network communicator, to said terminal through said terminal communicator, in a case where a communication identifier of an addressee specified in information included in the message is a communication identifier assigned by said communication-identifier assignor, and a communication identifier of an addresser specified in the information included in the message satisfies the relay condition.

20. The relay device according to claim 19, further including

a relay-forbiddance-communications-identifier storage section which stores communication identifiers in advance, and wherein

the relay condition is satisfied in a case where the communication identifier of the addressee or addresser specified in the information included in the message is not included in the communication identifiers stored in advance in said relay-forbiddance-communications-identifier storage section.

21. The relay device according to claim 20, further including a user-name receiver which receives a user name sent from said terminal through said terminal communicator, and wherein:

said relay-forbiddance-communications-identifier storage section stores a communication identifier in advance in association with the user name received by said user-name receiver; and

the relay condition is satisfied in a case where the communication identifier of the addressee or addresser specified in the information included in the message is not included in the communication identifiers stored in advance in said relay-forbiddance-communication-identifier storage section in association with the user name.

12. A relay device for relaying, to a communicating computer communications network, a message including information specifying a communication identifier of an addresser and a communication identifier of an addressee, said relay device comprising:

a terminal communicator which is connected to a terminal and communicates with said terminal for messages;

a computer-communication-network communicator which is connected to said computer communications network and communicates with said computer-communications network for messages;

a communication-identifier assignor which assigns said terminal a communication identifier; and

an upward relay device which sends and relays a message, sent from said terminal via said terminal, to the computer communications network through said computer-communication-network communicator, in a case where a communication identifier of an addresser specified in information included in the message received from said terminal via said terminal communicator is a communication identifier assigned by said communication-identifier assignor and a communication identifier of an addressee specified in the information included in the message satisfies a relay condition, and does not send the message thereto, in a case where the relay condition is not satisfied.

22. A service provider which is communicable with a relay device, comprising:

a service-request message receiver which receives a service-request message, whose addresser corresponds to a communication identifier assigned by said relay device and whose addressee corresponds to a communication identifier of said service provider, from said relay device;

an inquiry-message sender which sends, to said relay device, an inquiry message for inquiry whether to provide a service to the communication identifier specified in the service-request message received by said service-request message receiver;

a response-message receiver which receives a response message specifying whether to provide a service, the response message being sent from said relay device; and

a service-providing message sender which sends, to said relay device, a service-providing message whose addressee corresponds to the communication identifier specified in the service-request message and whose addresser is said service provider, in a case where the response message received by said response-message receiver specifies to provide a service.

23. The service provider according to claim 22, wherein

the inquiry message or the service-providing message includes billing information of the service to be provided.

24. The service provider according to claim 22, wherein

sending and receiving of the message is performed using TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), and the communication identifier is specified based on an IP address and/or a port number.

26. The relaying method of relaying according to claim 25, wherein:

the inquiry message or the service-providing message includes billing information of the service to be provided; and

said method further comprises

a billing-information updating step of, in a case where the service-providing message is sent to said terminal at said service-providing message sending step, updating the billing information if there is billing information stored in association with the received user name, by adding the billing information of the service to be provided and specified in the inquiry message or the service-providing message therewith, and, if there is not such information, storing the billing information in association with the user name.

27. The relaying method according to claim 26, wherein

updating at said billing-information updating step is performed before sending of the response message at said response-message sending step.

28. The relaying method according to claim 26, wherein

updating at said billing-information updating step is performed before sending of the service-providing message at said service-providing message sending step.

29. The relaying method according to claim 26, further including

a service-received message receiving step of receiving a service-received message sent from said terminal, in a case where said terminal receives the service-providing message sent at said service-providing message sending step, and wherein

updating at said billing-information updating step is performed after receiving of the service-received message at said service-received message receiving step.

30. The relaying method according to claim 25, further including:

an authentication-character-string generating/sending step of generating an authentication character string and sending this to said terminal, in a case where the user name is received at said user-name receiving step; and

a password-character string receiving step of receiving a password-character string sent from said terminal, and wherein

said communication-identifier assigning step assigns said terminal a communication identifier, in a case where the password-character string received at said password-character string receiving step is generated from the authentication character string generated at said authentication-character-string generating/sending step, based on a rule stored in advance in association with the user name received at said user-name receiving step.

31. The relaying method according to claim 30, wherein:

said communication-identifier assigning step assigns said terminal a communication identifier, in a case where a user name is received at said user-name receiving step; and

said method further includes

a communication-identifier invalidating step of invalidating the communication identifier assigned to said terminal at said communication-identifier assigning step, in a case where the password-character string received at said password-character-string receiving step is not generated from the authentication character string generated at said authentication-character-string generating/sending step based on the rule stored in advance in association with the user name received at said user-name receiving step.

25. A relaying method of relaying communications between a terminal and a service provider, comprising:

a user-name receiving step of receiving a user name sent from said terminal;

a communication-identifier assigning step of assigning said terminal a communication identifier in association with the received user name;

a service-request message receiving step of receiving a service-request message, whose addresser corresponds to the assigned communication identifier and addressee corresponds to a communication identifier of said service provider, and which is sent from said terminal;

a service-request message sending step of sending the received service-request message to said service provider;

an inquiry-message receiving step of receiving, from said service provider, an inquiry message for inquiring whether to provide a service to a communication identifier specified in the sent service-request message, the inquiry message being sent from said service provider;

a response-message sending step of sending, to said service provider, a response message specifying to provide a service in a case where the communication identifier specified in the received inquiry message is assigned in association with the received user name, and, if not, specifying not to provide a service;

a service-providing message receiving step of receiving, from said service provider, a service-providing message for providing a service to the communication identifier assigned in association with the received user name; and

a service-providing message sending step of sending the received service-providing message to said terminal.

32. A relaying method of relaying a message to a computer communication network for performing communications for messages including information specifying a communication identifier of an addresser and a communication identifier of an addressee, said method including:

a communication-identifier assigning step of assigning a terminal a communication identifier;

a terminal-receiving step of receiving a message sent from said terminal; and

an upward relaying step of sending and relaying a message to said computer communication network in a case where a communication identifier of an addresser specified in information included in the message received at said terminal-receiving step is a communication identifier assigned at said communication-identifier assigning step, and a communication identifier of an addressee specified in the information included in the message satisfies a relay condition, and not sending the message thereto in a case where the relay condition is not satisfied.

33. The relaying method according to claim 32, wherein

the relay condition is satisfied in a case where the communication identifier of the addressee or addresser specified in the information included in the message is not any of communication identifiers stored in advance.

34. The relaying method according to claim 32, further including

a user-name receiving step of receiving a user name sent from said terminal, and wherein

the relay condition is satisfied, in a case where the communication identifier of the addressee or addresser specified in the information included in the message is not any of communications identifiers stored in advance in association with the user name.

35. The relaying method according to claim 32, further including:

a user-name receiving step of receiving a user name sent from said terminal;

an authentication-character-string generating/sending step of generating an authentication character string and sending this to said terminal;

a password-character-string receiving step of receiving a password-character string sent from said terminal, and wherein

said communication-identifier assigning step assigns said terminal a communication identifier, in a case where the password-character string received at said password-character string receiving step is generated from the authentication character string generated at said authentication-character-string generating/sending step based on a rule stored in advance in association with the user name received at said user-name receiving step.

36. The relaying method according to claim 35, wherein:

said communication-identifier assigning step assigns said terminal a communication identifier, in a case where the user name is received at said username receiving step; and

said relaying method further includes a communication-identifier invalidating step of invalidating a communication identifier assigned to said terminal at said communication-identifier assigning step, in a case where the password-character string received at said password-character-string receiving step is not generated from the authentication character string generated at said authentication-character-string generating/sending step, based on the rule stored in advance in association with the user name received at said user-name receiving step.

37. The relaying method according to claim 32, further including, in place of said terminal-receiving step and said upward relaying step or in addition to these:

a computer-communication-network receiving step of receiving a message sent from said computer communication network; and

a downward relaying step of sending and relaying a message, in a case where a communication identifier of an addressee specified in information included in the message received at said computer-communication-network receiving step is a communication identifier assigned at said communication-identifier assigning step, and a communication identifier specified in the information included in the message satisfies the relay condition.

38. The relaying method according to claim 37, wherein

the relay condition is satisfied, in a case where the communication identifier of the addressee or addresser specified in the information included in the message is not any of communication identifiers stored in advance.

39. The relaying method according to claim 37, further including a username receiving step of receiving the user name sent from said terminal, and wherein

the relay condition is satisfied, in a case where the communication identifier of the addressee or addresser specified in the information included in the message is not any of communication identifiers stored in advance in association with the user name.

40. A service providing method of providing a service through a relay device, comprising:

a service-request message receiving step of receiving a service-request message, whose addresser corresponds to the communication identifier assigned by said relay device and addressee corresponds to a communication identifier of said service provider, and which is sent from said relay device;

an inquiry-message sending step of sending, to said relay device, an inquiry message for inquiring whether to provide a service to the communication identifier specified in the service-request message received at said service-request message receiving step;

a response-message receiving step of receiving a response message specifying whether to provide a service, said response message being sent from said relay device; and

a service-providing message sending step of sending, to said relay device, a service-providing message whose addressee corresponds to the communication identifier specified in the service-request message and addresser is said service provider, in a case where the response message received at said response-message receiving step specifies to provide a service.

41. A program product for controlling a computer, which is communicable with a terminal and a service provider, to serve as:

a user-name receiver which receives a user name sent from said terminal;

a communication-identifier assignor which assigns said terminal a communication identifier in association with the received user name;

a service-request message receiver which receives a service-request message, whose addresser corresponds to the assigned communication identifier and addressee corresponds to a communication identifier of said service provider, and which is sent from said terminal;

a service-request message sender which sends the received service-request message to said service provider;

an inquiry-message receiver which receives an inquiry message for inquiring whether to provide a service to a communication identifier specified in the sent service-request message, the inquiry message being sent from said service provider;

a response-message sender which sends, to said service provider, a response message specifying to provide a service in a case where the communication identifier specified in the received inquiry message is assigned in association with the received user name, and, if not, specifying not to provide a service;

a service-providing message receiver which receives a service-providing message for providing a service to the communication identifier assigned in association with the received user name, the service-providing message being sent from said service provider; and

a service-providing message sender which sends the received service-providing message to said terminal.

42. The program product according to claim 41, wherein

the inquiry message or the service-providing message includes billing information of the service to be provided, and said program product for controlling said computer to further serve as:

a billing-information storage section which stores billing information in association with the received user name; and

a billing-information updating section which updates said billing-information storage section, by adding or summing billing information of the service to be provided specified in the inquiry message or the service-providing message into said billing-information storage section in association with the received user name, in a case where the service-providing message is sent to said terminal by said service-providing message sender.

43. The program product according to claim 42, wherein, in said computer,

updating by said billing-information updating section is performed before sending of the response message by said response-message sending section.

44. The program product according to claim 42, wherein, in said computer,

updating by said billing-information updating section is performed before sending of the service-providing message by said service-providing message sender.

45. The program product according to claim 42, for controlling said computer to further serve as

a service-received message receiver which receives a service-received message sent from said terminal, in a case where said terminal receives the service-providing message sent by said service-providing message sender, and wherein, in said computer,

updating by said billing-information updating section is performed after receiving of the service-received message by said service-received message receiver.

46. The program product according to claim 41, for controlling said computer to further serve as:

an authentication-character string generator/sender which generates an authentication character string and sends this to said terminal, in a case where the user name is received by said user-name receiver;

a password-character-string receiver which receives a password-character string sent from said terminal; and

a rule storage section which stores a rule for generating the password-character string from the authentication character string, in association with the user name, and wherein, in said computer,

said communication-identifier assignor assigns said terminal a communication identifier, in a case where the password-character string is generated by said password-character-string receiver from the authentication character string generated by said authentication-character-string generator/sender, based on the rule stored in said rule storage section in association with the user name received by said user-name receiver.

47. The program product according to claim 46, wherein, in said computer,

said communication-identifier assignor assigns said terminal a communication identifier, in a case where the user name is received by said user-name receiver, and said program product controlling said computer to further serve as

a communication-identifier invalidating section which invalidates the communication identifier assigned by said communication-identifier assignor to said terminal, in a case where the password-character string received by said password-character-string receiver is not generated from the authentication character string generated by said authentication-character-string generator/sender, based on the rule stored in said rule storage section in association with the user name received by said user-name receiver.

49. The program product according to claim 48, for controlling said computer to further serve as

a relay-forbiddance-communications-identifier storage section which stores communication identifiers in advance, and wherein, in said computer,

the relay condition is satisfied, in a case where the communication identifier of the addressee or addresser specified in the information included in the message is not included in the communication identifiers stored in advance in said relay-forbiddance-communications-identifier storage section.

50. The program product according to claim 49, for controlling said computer to further serve as

a user-name receiver which receives a user name sent from said terminal through said terminal communicator, and, in said computer, wherein

said relay-forbiddance-communications-identifier storage section stores communication identifiers in advance in association with the user name received by said user-name receiver, and

the relay condition is satisfied, in a case where the communication identifier of the addressee or addresser specified in the information included in the message is not included in the communication identifiers stored in advance in associa4tion with the user name in said relay-forbiddance-communications-identifier storage section.

51. The program product according to claim 48, for controlling said computer to further serve as:

a user-name receiver which receives a user name sent from said terminal through said terminal communicator;

an authentication-character-string generator/sender which generates an authentication character string, and sends this to said terminal through said terminal communicator;

a password-character-string receiver which receives a password-character string sent from said terminal through said terminal communicator; and

a rule storage section which stores a rule for generating the password-character string from the authentication character string, in association with the user name, and wherein

said communication-identifier assignor assigns said terminal a communication identifier, in a case where the password-character string received by said password-character-string receiver is generated from the authentication character string generated by said authentication-character-string generator based on the rule stored in said rule storage section in association with the user name received by said user-name receiver.

52. The program product according to claim 51, wherein, in said computer,

said communication-identifier assignor assigns said terminal a communication identifier, in a case where the user name is received by said user-name receiver, and said product controlling said computer to further serve as a

a communication-identifier invalidating section which invalidates the communication identifier assigned by said communication-identifier assignor to said terminal, in a case where the password-character string received by said password-character-string receiver is not generated from the authentication character string generated by said authentication-character-string generator/sender based on the rule stored in the rule storage section in association with the user name received by said user-name receiver.

53. The program product according to claim 48, for controlling said computer to serve as, in place of said upward relay device or in addition to said upward relay device,

a downward relay device which sends and relays a message to said terminal through said terminal communicator, in a case where a communication identifier of an addressee specified in information included in the message sent from said computer communication network and received through said computer-communication network communicator is a communication identifier assigned by said communication-identifier assignor, and a communication identifier of an addresser specified in the information included in the message satisfies a relay condition.

54. The program product according to claim 53, for controlling said computer to further serve as

a relay-forbiddance-communications-identifier storage section which stores communication identifiers in advance, and wherein, in said computer,

the relay condition is satisfied in a case where the communication identifier of the addressee or addresser specified in the information included in the message is not included in the communication identifiers stored in advance in said relay-forbiddance-communications-identifier storage section.

55. The program product according to claim 54, for controlling said computer to further serve as

a user-name receiver which receives a user name sent from said terminal, and, wherein, in said computer:

said relay-forbiddance-communications-identifier storage section stores communication identifiers in association with the user name received by said username receiver; and

the relay condition is satisfied in a case where the communication identifier of the addressee or addresser specified in the information included in the message is not included in the communication identifiers stored in said relay-forbiddance-communication-identifier storage section in advance in association with the user name.

57. The program product according to claim 56, wherein

the inquiry message or the service-providing message include billing information of the service to be provided.

48. A program product for controlling a computer, which is communicable with a computer communication network for performing communications for messages including information specifying a communication identifier of an addresser and a communication identifier of an addressee, to serve as:

a terminal communicator which is connected to said terminal and communicates with said terminal for messages;

a computer-communication-network communicator which is connected to said computer communication network and communicates with said computer communication network for messages;

a communication-identifier assignor which assigns said terminal a communication identifier; and

an upward relay device which sends and relays a message to said computer communication network through said computer-communication network communicator, in a case where a communication identifier of an addresser specified in information included in the message sent from said terminal and received through said terminal communicator is a communication identifier assigned by said communication-identifier assignor, and a communication identifier of an addressee specified in the information included in the message satisfies a relay condition, and which does not send the message thereto, in a case where the relay condition is not satisfied.

56. A program product for controlling a computer, which is communicable with a relay device, to serve as a service provider, said product for further controlling said computer to serve as:

a service-request message receiver which receives a service-request message whose addresser corresponds to a communication identifier assigned by said relay device and addressee corresponds to a communication identifier of said service provider, and which is sent from said relay device;

an inquiry-message sender which sends an inquiry message for inquiring whether to provide a service to a communication identifier specified in the service-request message received by said service-request message receiver, to said relay device;

a response-message receiver which receives a response message specifying whether to provide a service and which is sent from said relay device; and

a service-providing message sender which sends a service-providing message whose addressee corresponds to the communication identifier specified in the service-request message and addresser corresponds is said service provider, to said relay device, in a case where the response message received by said response-message receiver specifies to provide the service.